It’s official: Jeff Moorad’s group is purchasing the Padres. Once the deal is finalized, Sandy Alderson will leave the organization.
Moorad will take over for John Moores, who bought the Padres in December 1994, rescuing the team from Tom Werner’s wave of destruction. Although taking shots at Moores is arguably more popular than baseball around these parts, the Padres did much of their best work under his watch:
| Seasons | .500+ | Playoffs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969-1994 | 26 | 1 | |
| 1995-2008 | 14 | 6 | 4 |
We’ll see what Moorad and company bring to the table. If they can duplicate what Moores has accomplished, I’ll be happy. Bonus points if they can talk folks into believing in the team while they’re doing it.
Anyway, enjoy the euphoria of renewed hope while it lasts. And don’t be too bummed when the new guy turns out to be a lot like the old guy. That’s just the way the world works.
Happy to hear it’s done, or will be done over the next few years, but I’m disappointed Alderson is leaving. Still, it will be interesting.
Alderson leaving is no surprise. Moorad wants to act as the CEO. It really has nothing to do with Alderson’s abilities, which were substantial, or his weaknesses, which were basically limited to public relations and marketing. In an alternate universe where Moores wasn’t getting divorced, they’d have turned the public affairs part of the job over to somebody else and have Alderson concentrate on running the organization as efficiently as possible.
I hope Towers and DePodesta, plus the analytic group, stay on. Fuson’s done a passable job in the draft, but other people can do a passable job. Does AJ Hinch come over for a year or two with an eye toward replacing Towers?
A weird, disheartening week for the Padres. The best owner in team history (despite his shortcomings) is on his way out, we’re losing one of the smartest front office minds around, and sobering reviews of our prospects keep piling up.
How soon before the average fan turns on Moorad?
2. It’s hard for me to see this as a disheartening week. Yeah, Moores was good for the Padres overall, but — premised on one bad season — cutting the operating budget to an unacceptable level for a major league team, dumping a popular homegrown shortstop with no replacement lined up… it’s a relief that this transition is underway so quickly.
Moores and Alderson were okay, but I’m not terribly sentimental about losing them. Bye fellas, don’t let the doors at Petco hit you in the butt on the way out.
I cross-posted this at Gaslamp Ball, but I think it’s worth getting your take on it here:
I think that strictly from a PR perspective, this move is a net win for the franchise. Alderson, who had earned the ire of many casual fans around the city, will be moving on. With Moorad as the CEO (and potentially co-owner of the team for the time being), the team can act like it will be turning a corner.
But here’s the key: The Padres need to do something to show the fans that a new guard is being ushered in. And rather than some ludicrous free agent signing, I have a simple suggestion:
Lower beer prices
This seems like a stupid move, but when Arte Moreno bought the Angels and lowered beer prices, he was lauded as a genius. It builds a ridiculous amount of goodwill to do something so simple. It probably doesn’t affect the team’s bottom line that much (much less than say, signing a Manny Ramirez or some other over-the-top player acquisition) and it signifies that a change has occurred. Coupled with the withering economy, it makes the Padres really seem like they’re tuned-in to fan issues.
This is good news. Moores was the best owner in Padres history (perhaps not saying much) but the contentious divorce has obviously left the team in disarray. If nothing else, this moves us to the next stage. A better stage? Could hardly be worse.
#4@Phantom: Agree on both counts. There may be enough disillusioned fans to make a real impact if they believe a corner has been turned. Beer and other concession prices are huge profit centers, but volume can help make up for per-unit prices.